Old rap slang

Cafe Society
1

I recently came across the video for the old 1980s rap hit, “New York, New York” by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5, and realized it uses a bit of slang I’ve never deciphered:

New York, New York, big city of dreams
But everything in New York ain’t always what it seems
You might get fooled if you come from out of town
But I’m down by law, and I know my way around

What did “down by law” mean?

2
  1. paid your dues; earned respect
  2. cool with (someone). by law added for emphasis

Oh that’s Rick. He’s down by law

3

Thanks!

4

Well, I hate to over analyze slang. But I do loves me some slang, and I also love to over analyze, so let’s get it on.

First let me agree completely with enomaj’s definitions.

But to expound on his def. 2, there are those (over-analytical types) that would say that def 2 may be related to prison slang in particular.

Let’s start with the slang term “down”. To be ‘down’ is derived from ‘down for whatever’ which means, I am with you, in up times and down times. I got yo’ back.

In prison, you were ‘down’ with your homies, and furthermore, you were ‘down* by law’*. You had no choice but to be cool with these guys!

But yeah. Just my take on it. I love slang. And hip hop. And Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5.